Physical TOTJO Temple in Texas Project

People are more important than the place. I haven't seen a coherent argument for building a temple except from the fact that a lot of people seem to want one.

Why build a library when virtually every city has at least one? As taxpayers you're already paying for one! The same goes for gardens, parks, and venues to meet in.

It just seems greedy to me, or elitist. At best, it is an odd kind of yearning to be able to physically locate a virtual presence.

On the other hand, the things that people want to happen in and around these temples should be encouraged.

Drexid, it sounds like you want to build. So build. Find people who are interested in co-op building and get involved. Report on the experience in your journals. Invite Jedi to join you on co-op builds but remember that it doesn't have to strictly involve "Jedi only". Everyone is a Jedi.

The same thing goes for just about every reason for having a temple. Gardens? Do gardening. Share your experience. Stargazing? Tell us where to go, what to look for. Invite people to join you. Camping/trekking/bushwalking? I'd love to do it. Every experience that brings someone closer to their understanding of the Force should be shared, explained, and encouraged. Having one physical location to do those things would probably weaken the experience, rather than enrich it.

Sorry. This is getting to be a rant now. Drexid, I hope you don't feel that this is only aimed at you!

I think that after all is said and done, everyone here will come to the realization that you need a temple so you can bail out of the rat race. Until that day comes, you will all keep looking out your windows beyond the horizon thinking there has got to be more to life than this.

Yeah, it would be nice to have a physical temple for spiritual retreats or group gatherings, but we tend to be spread so thin that having our own temple that the order owns just wouldn't be practical right now. And instead of trying to force it, it would be better if things just progressed naturally. When enough Jedi gather in one area, maybe they'll start having weekly services in someone's living room. Then maybe they'll rent a small space. Eventually they could raise the funds from the group in the area to fun an actual piece of land, the same way local churches of other denominations handle their own funding. But to just say, "Our headquarters is in Texas, so we should have a temple there" doesn't make sense.

As far as people wanting a place to go for retreats, there are plenty of places around that groups can rent for a weekend or even a full week. Many of them are religiously affiliated, but they tend to allow anyone to rent as long as part of your stay involves a spiritual service of some kind for your group. So if there was a group in one area that wanted to go on a retreat, that would be an option that wouldn't involve owning land that would only be used sporadically.

If I may, perhaps a temple can best be funded by guardians and sentinels performing missions, and by consulars offering facilities within the temple itself that people can use. That is the structure and dynamic of the fictional temple, after all.

Vagabond wrote: If I may, perhaps a temple can best be funded by guardians and sentinels performing missions, and by consulars offering facilities within the temple itself that people can use. That is the structure and dynamic of the fictional temple, after all.

inb4 "we're not fictional Jedi! *flounce*"

Vagabond wrote: If I may, perhaps a temple can best be funded by guardians and sentinels performing missions, and by consulars offering facilities within the temple itself that people can use. That is the structure and dynamic of the fictional temple, after all.

I've avoided becoming involved in this recent discussion, as a. It's irrelevance to where we are NOW as a Temple of Jediism, and b. Someone usually says something I would have before I can post it, and it's worded better.

The members here have real lives, jobs to keep down, bills to pay, families to care for. What many have proposed here is simply unrealistic.

The names you are using in your last post Vagabond, are merely fictional. Although they may be acknowledged and respected elsewhere, their titles and meanings are purely fictional here. You also referenced how things would be done according to a "Fictional Temple, in the mythos of Star Wars.

Jediism's BIGGEST problem are people who cannot not separate the movies and fiction of Star Wars from the Religion of Jediism.....which has little to do with the above mentioned. I've said it many times (here I go again, no offence). The Temple and Jediism would benefit greatly if they separated themselves as much as possible from the aesthetics of Star Wars...

Vagabond wrote: If I may, perhaps a temple can best be funded by guardians and sentinels performing missions, and by consulars offering facilities within the temple itself that people can use. That is the structure and dynamic of the fictional temple, after all.

The fictional Temple was also payed for by the Republic, but as for a real world facility, I don't see people requesting the aid of Jedi, nor people paying for that aid. And I really don't see the Temple charging for it either! I know I do volunteer work, and keep those in my AoR safe as I can, but I would never ask to be paid for that work.

Zenchi wrote:

Vagabond wrote: If I may, perhaps a temple can best be funded by guardians and sentinels performing missions, and by consulars offering facilities within the temple itself that people can use. That is the structure and dynamic of the fictional temple, after all.

I've avoided becoming involved in this recent discussion, as a. It's irrelevance to where we are NOW as a Temple of Jediism, and b. Someone usually says something I would have before I can post it, and it's worded better.

The members here have real lives, jobs to keep down, bills to pay, families to care for. What many have proposed here is simply unrealistic.

The names you are using in your last post Vagabond, are merely fictional. Although they may be acknowledged and respected elsewhere, their titles and meanings are purely fictional here. You also referenced how things would be done according to a "Fictional Temple, in the mythos of Star Wars.

Jediism's BIGGEST problem are people who cannot not separate the movies and fiction of Star Wars from the Religion of Jediism.....which has little to do with the above mentioned. I've said it many times (here I go again, no offence). The Temple and Jediism would benefit greatly if they separated themselves as much as possible from the aesthetics of Star Wars...

Which is impossible so long as we keep the name.

I like the name, and would leave if we attempted to change it....

I was calling myself thatlong before totjo and the online community existed...

It's not impossible, it only takes some effort focusing more on what the Jedi in the movies were based upon instead of the fiction itself, which is to a large extent, in my opinion, crap...